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Clubs host career panel featuring alumnae

Notre Dames Club and ND Women Connect will co-host a Campus to Career panel discussion and networking event featuring six Notre Dame alumnae in the Morris Inn Ballroom on Friday afternoon.

Senior Alison Leddy, founder and president of Notre Dames, said the event will help the club promote its mission by providing women on campus with opportunities that could prove beneficial to their future careers.

“The mission of Notre Dames is to strengthen the female voice on campus and to bring awareness to issues that affect women at Notre Dame, across the country and around the world,” Leddy said.

According to its website, ND Women Connect works to create alumnae outreach programs and increase graduate involvement among the female population at Notre Dame.

“We are really excited to co-sponsor this event with ND Women Connect,” Leddy said. “They are an affinity group within the alumni association that is inclusive of everyone, but female-focused, very similar to the Notre Dames.

“[ND Connect is] trying to increase its visibility and presence on campus, so that you don’t have to wait until after you graduate to hear about them. They’re a really great way to connect Notre Dame women in all different cities.”

The Campus to Career event aims to encourage networking among Notre Dame women, both here on campus and throughout the country, Leddy said. It will consist of a panel and an informal networking session with alumnae.

Leddy said both Notre Dames and ND Women Connect recognize there is power in bringing women together.

“You can find inspiration in a lot of places, and I think inspiration can be incredibly meaningful if it’s from someone who comes from a similar background to you,” Leddy said. “That’s why I love having strong, female role models, and I think the Notre Dame alumnae are a perfect example of that.”

Leddy said she hopes both the alumnae and current students form natural and organic relationships based around experiences they share.

“It can be something as informal as ‘Let’s talk about our mutual experience of living in Cavanaugh,’ for example,” Leddy said. “I hope that these initial conversations will foster more long lasting mentoring relationships.”

The event is a good opportunity for older students starting to think about what steps to take after college, Leddy said.

“We’re going to touch on each panelist’s professional experience, but we’re also going to be able to ask questions and to talk about how they balance work and family life and if they have suggestions and reassurance for graduating seniors who might be panicked about the job search,” she said.

Leddy also said she highly encourages underclassmen to attend the networking event.

“I think it’s especially perfect for underclassmen who might have been intimidated to go to the internship fair,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity for them to work on those skills needed to talk to potential recruiters … and to get very tangible advice about pursuing your professional goals.”

Leddy said she hopes the Campus to Career event will give students the opportunity to ask alumnae questions relevant to their own futures.

“What’s great about Notre Dame alumni, in general, is that they’re always interested in what’s going on on campus, they really care and they want to get to know students. So this is a great way to make that connection,” Leddy said.